Chapter 125

I thought maybe Matt was just late, but after an hour passed, I started to worry that something else was up. Jack eyed me as I paced near the front window.

“Guess he’s not coming,” he said, sounding a bit smug. He’d come home fifteen minutes earlier, covered in mud. After a quick shower, he joined me in the living room to wait.

I shot him a look but didn’t comment. Jack said it like he saw this coming, but I knew Matt wouldn’t just stand me up. Something else had to be going on. I tried his number, but his phone went right to voicemail. I sent him a few more texts but staring at my phone didn’t make any answers materialize.

“Maybe he forgot,” Jack said, a small smile on his face.

I turned on my heel and stomped to my room, my phone clenched in my hand. Our first real date since we went to play pool, and of course he didn’t show up. I knew Jack felt a little vindicated, but I refused to spiral into self-consciousness. Not this time. Matt loved me. I knew he did. There had to be a logical explanation for this.

I waited another hour before I finally gave up and got ready for bed. I tucked myself under my covers, but it took me most of the night to fall asleep. Even though I told myself not to, I kept getting up to check my phone, just in case Matt texted me. Every time I looked and saw that I had no messages, my stomach bottomed out.

What if something bad happened, and that was why he wasn’t answering? Eventually, I passed out from sheer exhaustion, shocking awake at the first beep of my alarm. I immediately checked my phone again, but still no calls or texts.

I let Jack give me a ride to school, doing my best not to look at him. He gave me a cheerful goodbye when he dropped me off, driving away to find a parking lot. I found Fiona waiting for me outside our first class, and I followed her into the classroom.

“Everything okay?” she asked, giving me a sideways glance when we sat down.

I bit my lip. “It’s fine.”

She narrowed her eyes but didn’t comment. Luckily, our professor started class right away, so I didn’t have to field any more questions. For some reason, I felt embarrassed to tell her that Matt never showed up last night.

Fiona walked me to my next class with no sign of Matt.

“Want me to meet you back here for lunch?”

I shook my head. “I think I’m supposed to eat with Matt. He must be late.”

“Alright. We’ll catch up later.”

I nodded, my head elsewhere. What if he didn’t show up?

I barely paid attention during my next class, my mind racing. It was almost lunch, and I still hadn’t heard from him. I checked my phone a few times during class, hiding it beneath my desk, but my inbox remained empty.

Class finally ended, and I had to force myself not to run out of the door. When I finally left the room, following the hoard of students, it wasn’t Matt I found waiting for me.

Enzo approached me with a wide smile. “Hey Celeste.”

“Hey,” I said, giving him what must have been a very confused look.

“Matt’s not in school today. I figured you could eat lunch with me and Nina if you wanted. I didn’t want you to be left alone.”

“Why isn’t he here?” I asked, falling into step beside him without question.

“Oh, well…” he trailed off, running his fingers through his dark hair.

I stopped walking, forcing him to stop, too. “What is it?”

“Well, Matt sustained a bit of an injury last night. Nothing too serious, but he needs some time off to recover.”

I felt my heart rate quicken. “What sort of injury?”

“Well, I think he has a concussion. Also, a broken arm.”

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed. “What happened?”

“It’s better if I let him explain that when you see him.”

“I want to see him now.”

He gave me a blank look. “Now? He’s at home.”

“I know. I want to go see him at home.” I planted my hands on my hips. He wasn’t going to change my mind, and I hoped my expression conveyed that. I had to see him. I had to make sure he was truly okay. All my fears from last night came rushing back. “Please,” I added.

Enzo sighed. “Well, alright. I’ll take you over to the dorm.”

“Thank you,” I said earnestly.

He nodded and led me out of the school, typing on his phone. I figured he was probably letting Nina know.

Enzo drove me over to one of the dorms and escorted me up to the fifth floor. “This is it,” he said when we stopped in front of 505. “I’ll leave you here,” he said. “I’ve got to get back.” He gave me a worried look. “Will you be alright here?”

I nodded. “I’ll find my own way back. Don’t worry.”

Enzo shook his head. “No, Matt has my number. When you’re ready, he’ll text me. I’m not letting you walk home alone.”

“I’ll be fine.”

He shook his head. “It’s not safe. Trust me, it’s no burden.”

It seemed he wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so I just nodded. He gave me a soft pat on the shoulder, then turned and walked away. The minute he was out of sight, I knocked on the door, my heart drumming a relentless rhythm in my chest.

I had to knock again before the door finally opened. My eyes widened as I took in Matt’s face and the sling holding up his left arm. He looked equally shocked to see me, a look of confusion settling into the lines of his bruised face.

“Celeste, I’m so sorry,” he said as realization crossed his face. “I didn’t mean to stand you up.”

I shook my head, tears pooling in my eyes. He looked awful. Bruises covered his face and angry red marks stood out along his neck. He was holding his arm carefully to his chest. The worst of all, though, was the bright red gash across his forehead. It already looked like it was healing, but he had to have some sort of concussion.

I threw my arms around him, careful of his injuries. “I was so worried,” I said, my voice sounding unsteady.

He buried his face in my neck, his one arm coming around to hold me against him. “I’m okay.”

We stayed like that for a moment, but the sound of a door opening down the hall had us breaking away from each other. He gestured for me to come in, and I followed him into his room.

It was incredibly clean, with a single bed covered in rumpled blue sheets, a desk near the window, and a desk chair. A matching bed and desk took up the other half of the room, but it was empty. I didn’t know if Matt had a roommate before, but he clearly didn’t have one now. On Matt’s side, there was a poster for the hockey team taped up on the wall and nothing else.

He sat down on the bed and, after a second of hesitation, I sat down beside him.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Fine.” I gave him a look, and he turned away. “Head hurts a little,” he admitted after a moment.

“What happened?”

He frowned. “It’s kind of a long story.”

I considered pushing it but decided not to. Now wasn’t the time to have a serious conversation. I could tell by the look on his face that he was in pain. He was trying to downplay it, but the headache was really bothering him.

“You should lie down,” I said.

He eyed me without moving.

“I’ll lie down with you.”

He thought about it for a moment, then acquiesced, his discomfort finally winning out over his desire to appear fine. He lay down on his back and I curled up against him, holding his injured hand. I was too afraid to touch his chest, not knowing how many bruises he was hiding beneath his shirt.

We lay together in silence for a bit before he broke the silence. “You really don’t have to stay here,” he said. “You’re missing class.”

“I don’t care,” I said.

“Celeste…” he started.

“Matt, if I were injured, would you just go to class?”

“No.”

“Exactly.”

He didn’t argue after that. Eventually, his hand slackened in mine, and I carefully turned to peer up at his face. His eyes were closed, his dark eyelashes brushing against his pale cheeks. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. I stared at his bruises and the gash on his head for a minute, a sickening feeling in chest. I never wanted to see him like this again.

Eventually, I turned away and closed my eyes. It didn’t take long before I followed him into sleep, his hand still clutched in mine.